This invention relates generally to cleats having a depressed inoperative position and which are capable of being raised to an upright operative position and more particularly to a cleat wherein the means for holding the cleat in its positions is easily cleaned of dirt, sand, deposits and the like.
Cleats having a depressed inoperative position which can be moved to an operative position are well known in the art; such as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,535,694; 5,301,627, 4,809,634. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,694, a poppit 32 is biased by a spring 33 to engage detents in the shank 22. In this structure, if sea water deposits are accumulated on the poppits or the spring, operation of the poppit can be inhibited. In order to clear such deposits from the poppit area, the cleat must either be dissembled or the screw 34 and spring 33 removed to obtain access to the poppit.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a cleat with multiple positions and a spring loaded poppit for securing such positions, wherein the poppit can be accessed without dissembling the cleat.
It is another object of this invention to provide such a cleat wherein the poppit of the cleat may be accessed for cleaning from outside the cleat structure without removing any parts of the cleat.